Beginnings

Its taken me ages to take up a blog, weird becuase I love email and the web and have been using the internet before the web existed! I think I have resisted because a blog is like a diary and I have never been good at diaries, I loose interest after about the first month, but maybe an electronic one will be different! I intend to mull over the creative processes that give me pleasure, grief and frustration as I make quilts, dye and print fabric.

I started quilting 4 years ago, though I've been working with fabric for many years, mostly making clothes, not well though, way too impatient! I studied textile design in the early '90s and while I wasn't interested in the rag trade I did enjoy creating large pieces of printed fabric. I never wanted to cut them up so I turned them into duve covers. After college, the lack of a proper studio to print large slabs of fabric meant that it was hard to organise and full time work also made things difficult. When I discovered quilting I realised I could do things on a smaller scale, using the skills I already had, so started dyeing fabric and creating small prints to enhance the design of the quilt I was making.

Quilting is such an addictive creative past-time, it uses fabric which I love, I can create fabric as well, it uses design and age old traditions. Its technical and simple at the same time, I can use a computerised sewing machine or just a needle and thread. It envolves me completely and for someone who considers themselves innumerate I am suprised that all the maths involved doesn't phase me - shame my teachers didn't use it as a teaching resource back in school! It also links you to quilters with so many different creative skills and expertise, I never cease to be amazed at the talent and creativity and the willingness to share it with others. I really enjoy the online quilting community, if I have a problem I can just ask a question and also help another in their creative process.

That's it for my first blog entry.